Make Your Own 'Liquid Gold' Chicken Stock | Epicurious 101, by Epicurious on YouTube. 7 min 1 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 1 s
- Time to do it
- 2 to 3 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Keep the carcass from a roast chicken, along with the skin, wingtips and any jellied juices from the roasting tray. Pick off any stuffing, lemon wedges or herbs first, since these turn bitter in a long simmer.
Put the carcass in a large pot and cover it with cold water by about 5 cm (2 inches). Starting with cold water draws out flavour slowly and gives you a clearer stock.
Add a roughly chopped onion, carrot and celery stick, plus a bay leaf and a few peppercorns. Skip salt for now so you can season the finished dish properly later.
Set the pot over medium heat and bring it up slowly. As soon as small bubbles appear, turn the heat down so the surface only shivers rather than boils.
Skim off the grey foam that rises in the first 20 minutes with a spoon or ladle. This step is what keeps the stock clean tasting and clear.
Simmer uncovered on low for 1.5 to 3 hours, topping up with hot water if the bones become exposed. Longer gives a deeper flavour; shorter keeps it lighter and more delicate.
Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl or second pot and ladle the stock through it. Press the solids gently with the back of the spoon, then discard the bones and vegetables.
Cool the stock quickly by sitting the bowl in a sink of iced water, then refrigerate it. Once cold, lift off the solid fat layer on top and keep it for roasting potatoes.
Store the stock in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it in 250 ml portions for up to 3 months. Season with salt only when you cook with it.
Tips and common mistakes
Never let the pot boil hard, because it emulsifies the fat and turns the stock cloudy.
Wash your hands and any surface that touched the raw or cooked carcass, and cool the stock within 2 hours of finishing the simmer.
A pressure cooker cuts the simmer to about 45 minutes at high pressure if you are short on time.
Freeze stock in an ice cube tray so you can drop a single cube into a pan sauce.
Questions
Can I use a raw chicken carcass instead of a roasted one?
Yes. Raw bones give a lighter stock, so roast them at 200C for about 30 minutes first if you want the deeper brown flavour of a roasted bird.
Why is my chicken stock cloudy?
Usually because it boiled rather than simmered, or the foam was not skimmed. It still tastes fine, but strain it twice through cheesecloth if you want it clear.
Do I have to add vegetables?
No. Bones, water and time alone make a usable stock, and a plain version is more flexible when you add it to curries or Asian dishes.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
